Locals band collectively to seek for lacking father final seen close to woods

Locals have banded collectively to launch searches for a lacking father who was final seen strolling in the direction of woods after visiting his household days earlier than Christmas.

Friends and household have been joined by locals in trying to find Marc Jones, who disappeared from Hockley, close to Southend-on-Sea on December 23.

The 44-year-old, from Marlow, Bucks, had been visiting family members along with his 11-year-old son.

While each Essex and Thames Valley Police forces have launched searches for the lacking man, a Facebook group of over 2,000 involved individuals has additionally been set as much as assist coordinate those that need to assist.

The web page Find Marc Jones has separate discussion groups for Marlow and Hockley for residents to put up ideas and updates on the place they’ve searched.

Locals have posted potential sightings to attempt to retrace his footsteps, together with maps of the world as additionally they group collectively to go looking completely different routes he could have walked.

Mr Jones was sporting a darkish, padded jacket with a furry hood alongside brown trousers and a rust-coloured high when he disappeared early within the morning just a few days earlier than Christmas.

He has a cross tattoo on his wrist, brief, darkish brown hair and is 5’11” tall.

Family say this is ‘completely out of character for Marc’, who was last seen walking towards Guide Woods, which sits on the edge of the residential town.

Organisers of the Facebook group have praised the ‘heroic efforts’ of volunteers as they try to track Mr Jones down, with many using running apps to map where they have covered.

But they say they are ‘no closer to locating’ him as they desperately appeal for help.

They hope that he will still be in the local vicinity, and say all the main routes through the woods have now been walked.

A post on the page reads: ‘This a group to help coordinate searches to find Marc Jones.

‘Any info should immediately be reported to police on 101 for Thames Valley Police with the Missing Person Reference Number: 43230576683

‘There are three polls to keep the group organised, and you can see what has/hasn’t been attempted in each area – namely Hockley/Southend where he went missing, and Marlow where he normally lives.

‘The third poll is for outside of these areas in case someone has a hunch of a place that he may have gone to. Anything is worth a shot. Please be as specific as possible.

‘Please do not use this group to widely speculate on what has happened. The focus must be on finding Marc only at the moment. Please speak to the police if you have any sightings etc, and speak to a family member if you know Marc personally and feel there is information they should know that may feel relevant.

‘Thank you all for your support and help so far and what you can do with us from here.’

A post of 25 polls is included on the group to keep track of where has been searched, including neighbours’ CCTV, pubs, hospitals and hotels.

Although locals reported potential sightings in both Hullbridge and Marlow, the group organiser said these haven’t been confirmed by CCTV.

A post yesterday explained: ‘That’s not to say they are not accurate, but we don’t want people to assume he is in a certain area and therefore stop looking. 

‘We are still actively searching Hockley/Hullbridge and Marlow in particular.

‘We are hopeful we can 100 per cent confirm a sighting soon and narrow down the search.’

A further post appealed for help in searching for Mr Jones in Hockley Woods, asking locals to explore the route he may have taken on the day he went missing.

It added that the main routes in the area have already been searched, so asked volunteers to explore ‘off the beaten track’.

The organiser also urged people to bring a copy of the ‘missing’ poster with them and download the What3Words app to help police identify the area if anything is reported. 

Essex Police are said to have done an aerial search, and they have asked any sightings to be immediately reported to the force.

In an appeal put out on December 23, Essex Police in the Rochford District said: ‘Help us find Marc Jones, 44, missing from Hockley, 9am on Sat 23 Dec.

‘He may still be in the locality. He’s short dark blond hair and 5ft 11ins, wearing Goose jacket and furry collar, brown jeans and rust-coloured top, black trainers and cross tattoo on wrist.’

Well-wishers also posted on the group, saying ‘I’m praying he is found soon’. 

Others praised the page organisers, saying ‘you are doing an amazing of coordinating all of this’.

Another added: ‘It is amazing to see everyone pulling together.’